rkj__
Adventurer
Today was a rainy September day in southern Ontario, so with my outdoor plans cancelled, I decided to head to the GM dealer to check out the new full size trucks. They are starting to advertise the trucks pretty heavily now, with "tailgate party" events at many dealers. I'm stating to see them on the roads now too.
There's no need for me to give an overview of all the features, you can read that elsewhere, but I did take a truck for a test drive, so I will share my impressions.
The truck I decided to take out was a Sierra SLE Double Cab, 4x4, 5.3L V8, 3.08 gear. Sticker price, ~$43,900.
picture from web
What impressed me the most about this truck by far, was how quiet it was. Pulling out of the dealer, right away I noticed the acoustic wheel well liners totally cancel out the sound of water splashing in the wheel wells as you drive down puddled city streets. The engine is very quiet as well. On the highway, more quiet. Wind noise is dramatically less than in my Canyon. At 120km/h you don't need to crank the radio up to hear it.
The active fuel management seemed to work pretty seamlessly. When you sink the accelerator pedal, all 8 cylinders quickly come on board to accelerate you forward. The six speed transmission shifts very smoothly. The 5.3 is the middle of the road engine option, that most buyers will choose. It seems well suited to fill that spot. It pulled pretty good when you floored it. It does not provide blow-you-away speed, but it's a Sierra, not a Camaro. Brakes also felt strong. I was driving pretty harshly (of course) and the truck always felt controlled and planted on the wet roads, thanks to the Stabilitrac and traction control. Of course, the wheels spun up real quick with the traction control off.
Driver comfort was not bad. I found the folding centre console on the bench seat to be a little high. As an arm rest, it sits higher than the one on the door. Bluetooth streaming of music is nice, and all the buttons and knobs for stereo and climate control seemed easy to use.
I had no major complaints with the truck. While the damped tailgate is nice, it did seem a little slow, like I had to wait for it to finish dropping. Being used to a smaller truck, I thought the Sierra would feel massive. While I did notice the extra width slightly, it was easier to drive than I anticipated. However, I'm still more comfortable in a smaller truck.
I also liked the free burgers at the "Tailgate Party."
And while I realize this is the Domestic / Full Size forum, I'll also include the below as "bonus content."
I had also been wanting to drive a Tacoma for a while, and there was a Toyota dealer right next door. In the showroom, they had a 2013 Tacoma Access Cab, TRD Off Road. First of all, I thought the seats were amazing. Nice buckets, that really hold you secure and comfortable in the seat. Much better than the bench in my Canyon. The truck featured a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, which I really liked. My Canyon lacks the telescope. Although the truck is mechanically and cosmetically quite old, the dash was updated in the most recent facelift. You will find bluetooth streaming, back up camera, digital compass, and most other things you would expect. The TRD Off Road also features an electronic locking rear differential, along with Bilstein shocks. There is even a 400W, 120V AC plug in the bed. It seemed very well equipped.
What I did not like was the lack of a flat floor in the rear of the access cab. I much prefer the arrangement in my Canyon where the storage bins flop forward to give you a pretty flat floor for loading boxier objects, like your beer cooler. I will say though, that the rear seat backs are much more comfortable in the Tacoma, as they actually have some shape to them. The roof height headrests were a little crazy though, but fortunately they do fold down.
The truck in the showroom was actually sold. Cash price $36,857 after $3,000 in discounts. But, they did have a recently traded in 2010 Double Cab TRD Sport, with 185,000km on the odometer. So of course, I took that for a spin.
picture from web
The first thing that surprised me about the Tacoma was how eager the V6 seemed. While it actually has less horsepower than the 3.7 I5 in my Canyon, it felt faster. Perhaps its the extra gear in the transmission, as the Tacoma gets a 5 speed auto, vs the 4 speed in my truck. . Throttle response was very good. Floor it, and it was very quick to give all it had to give. It felt "sportier" than the Sierra or my Canyon. The suspension rode pretty smooth over some choppy roads. Not quite as smooth as the Sierra, but smoother than my Skyjacker Canyon. Even after the 185k the truck still felt new mechanically. Steering was not sloppy at all.
As I was driving the Tacoma, I thought, man, this thing is pretty nice. So I asked myself, other than brand loyalty, why would anybody by a Colorado / Canyon instead. I came up with two main reasons.
1. The GM truck is generally less expensive. Used Tacoma prices are quite high. While that is good for when it comes time to sell your Tacoma, you will be paying more up front.
2. While I don't hate the exterior styling of the Tacoma, I like the Canyon MUCH better.
In conclusion, I still prefer driving a midsize truck to a full size. Since I am loyal to the GM brand, you won't find me buying a Tacoma, but I do hope GM steps up their game with the new Colorado and Canyon. If they can bring some of the smoothness, quietness, and refinement from the full size trucks to the midsize, while keeping the price reasonable, improving the fuel economy, and providing some updates, you might see me in one, in the distant future.
There's no need for me to give an overview of all the features, you can read that elsewhere, but I did take a truck for a test drive, so I will share my impressions.
The truck I decided to take out was a Sierra SLE Double Cab, 4x4, 5.3L V8, 3.08 gear. Sticker price, ~$43,900.
picture from web
What impressed me the most about this truck by far, was how quiet it was. Pulling out of the dealer, right away I noticed the acoustic wheel well liners totally cancel out the sound of water splashing in the wheel wells as you drive down puddled city streets. The engine is very quiet as well. On the highway, more quiet. Wind noise is dramatically less than in my Canyon. At 120km/h you don't need to crank the radio up to hear it.
The active fuel management seemed to work pretty seamlessly. When you sink the accelerator pedal, all 8 cylinders quickly come on board to accelerate you forward. The six speed transmission shifts very smoothly. The 5.3 is the middle of the road engine option, that most buyers will choose. It seems well suited to fill that spot. It pulled pretty good when you floored it. It does not provide blow-you-away speed, but it's a Sierra, not a Camaro. Brakes also felt strong. I was driving pretty harshly (of course) and the truck always felt controlled and planted on the wet roads, thanks to the Stabilitrac and traction control. Of course, the wheels spun up real quick with the traction control off.
Driver comfort was not bad. I found the folding centre console on the bench seat to be a little high. As an arm rest, it sits higher than the one on the door. Bluetooth streaming of music is nice, and all the buttons and knobs for stereo and climate control seemed easy to use.
I had no major complaints with the truck. While the damped tailgate is nice, it did seem a little slow, like I had to wait for it to finish dropping. Being used to a smaller truck, I thought the Sierra would feel massive. While I did notice the extra width slightly, it was easier to drive than I anticipated. However, I'm still more comfortable in a smaller truck.
I also liked the free burgers at the "Tailgate Party."
And while I realize this is the Domestic / Full Size forum, I'll also include the below as "bonus content."
I had also been wanting to drive a Tacoma for a while, and there was a Toyota dealer right next door. In the showroom, they had a 2013 Tacoma Access Cab, TRD Off Road. First of all, I thought the seats were amazing. Nice buckets, that really hold you secure and comfortable in the seat. Much better than the bench in my Canyon. The truck featured a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, which I really liked. My Canyon lacks the telescope. Although the truck is mechanically and cosmetically quite old, the dash was updated in the most recent facelift. You will find bluetooth streaming, back up camera, digital compass, and most other things you would expect. The TRD Off Road also features an electronic locking rear differential, along with Bilstein shocks. There is even a 400W, 120V AC plug in the bed. It seemed very well equipped.
What I did not like was the lack of a flat floor in the rear of the access cab. I much prefer the arrangement in my Canyon where the storage bins flop forward to give you a pretty flat floor for loading boxier objects, like your beer cooler. I will say though, that the rear seat backs are much more comfortable in the Tacoma, as they actually have some shape to them. The roof height headrests were a little crazy though, but fortunately they do fold down.
The truck in the showroom was actually sold. Cash price $36,857 after $3,000 in discounts. But, they did have a recently traded in 2010 Double Cab TRD Sport, with 185,000km on the odometer. So of course, I took that for a spin.
picture from web
The first thing that surprised me about the Tacoma was how eager the V6 seemed. While it actually has less horsepower than the 3.7 I5 in my Canyon, it felt faster. Perhaps its the extra gear in the transmission, as the Tacoma gets a 5 speed auto, vs the 4 speed in my truck. . Throttle response was very good. Floor it, and it was very quick to give all it had to give. It felt "sportier" than the Sierra or my Canyon. The suspension rode pretty smooth over some choppy roads. Not quite as smooth as the Sierra, but smoother than my Skyjacker Canyon. Even after the 185k the truck still felt new mechanically. Steering was not sloppy at all.
As I was driving the Tacoma, I thought, man, this thing is pretty nice. So I asked myself, other than brand loyalty, why would anybody by a Colorado / Canyon instead. I came up with two main reasons.
1. The GM truck is generally less expensive. Used Tacoma prices are quite high. While that is good for when it comes time to sell your Tacoma, you will be paying more up front.
2. While I don't hate the exterior styling of the Tacoma, I like the Canyon MUCH better.
In conclusion, I still prefer driving a midsize truck to a full size. Since I am loyal to the GM brand, you won't find me buying a Tacoma, but I do hope GM steps up their game with the new Colorado and Canyon. If they can bring some of the smoothness, quietness, and refinement from the full size trucks to the midsize, while keeping the price reasonable, improving the fuel economy, and providing some updates, you might see me in one, in the distant future.
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